Identifying agronomy and potential of Intermediate wheatgrass in the Canadian Maritime climate to build climate change adaptation capacity in agriculture

Modern agriculture has focused on cultivating annual crops for their uniformity and quick production timeline. However, a sustainable ecosystem includes the combination of annual and perennial plants, with perennials providing soil health services and resilience under dynamic conditions. Newly developed lineages of intermediate wheatgrass, a perennial crop that uniquely produces grain and forage, were introduced to the Canadian Maritimes in 2022. These research plots established well, but the agronomy and associated yield potential has not yet been identified. This project will expand on the cultivation methods for incorporating intermediate wheatgrass into annual crop rotations, as well as in biculture with annual commodity crops, to develop an environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture system that has the potential to aid an industry impacted by climate change.

Faculty Supervisor:

Travis Esau;Aaron Mills

Student:

Partner:

Atlantic Grains Council

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: